Alabama Executes Inmate who Killed 3 in Separate Workplace Shootings by Nitrogen Gas

Alan Eugene Miller, a 59-year-old Alabama man convicted of killing three coworkers in 1999, was executed on Thursday using nitrogen gas. This marked only the second time the method has been used for execution in the United States. Miller was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. at a prison in southern Alabama after a brief struggle on the execution gurney. Witnesses reported that Miller’s body shook and trembled for about two minutes before he began gasping intermittently for six minutes. Miller’s final words were, “I didn’t do anything to be in here,” as he maintained his innocence despite the convictions.

The 1999 Workplace Shootings

In August 1999, Miller, a delivery truck driver for Ferguson Enterprises, carried out a series of shootings that left three men dead. The victims were Lee Holdbrooks, 32, and Christopher Scott Yancy, 28, both of whom were shot at Ferguson’s office in Pelham, Alabama. After killing Holdbrooks and Yancy, Miller drove to Post Airgas, a company he had previously worked for, where he fatally shot Terry Jarvis, 39. The killings were reportedly motivated by Miller’s belief that the victims were gossiping about him. According to a witness, Miller accused the victims of spreading rumors before he opened fire. In 2000, a jury convicted Miller of the three murders after only 20 minutes of deliberation.

Nitrogen Gas as Execution Method

Miller was originally set to be executed by lethal injection in 2022, but the attempt was halted after officials failed to find a suitable vein to administer the drugs. Following the failed attempt, Miller chose to die by nitrogen gas. Alabama had approved nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method, along with lethal injection and electrocution.

Nitrogen hypoxia involves placing a respirator mask over the inmate’s face, replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, ultimately causing death due to lack of oxygen. Miller initially challenged the nitrogen gas protocol in court but later reached an undisclosed settlement with the state, dropping his lawsuit.

Alabama is one of several states to adopt nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method, alongside Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. This method has drawn international criticism, with United Nations experts condemning its use during the execution of Kenneth Smith earlier this year, labeling it as “torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.”

Governor’s Statement and Public Response

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey stated Miller’s execution, stating, “Tonight, justice was finally served for these three victims through the execution method elected by the inmate.” She described Miller’s crimes as “pure evil” and expressed hope that the victims’ families could find some measure of comfort after more than two decades.

Miller’s case and his execution reignited debates around the death penalty, particularly the use of nitrogen gas, as human rights groups and international organizations continue to challenge the ethics and humanity of the method.